Lauren RabainoMustang Daily photographer and business senior Kristen Hays traveled all the way to Washington, D.C., where she stood Tuesday at the National Mall amidst the millions of others who came to witness the inauguration of President Barack Obama.
“I felt that was a really historic moment, and that it would be a different feeling to be there in the capitol watching it happen rather than unfolding on TV,” she said.
Hays said that she and the members of her party woke up and headed down to the National Mall at 3 a.m. Tuesday in hopes of getting the best view.
“Watching the Mall fill up with two million people as the sun was rising over the Capitol was absolutely beautiful… that was probably the coolest part.”
She said the crowd became more excited as the day progressed towards Obama’s swearing-in ceremony. Every time the 44th president of the United States was seen or his name was mentioned, “the crowd just went crazy… cheering clapping, chanting his name,” Hays said. “It was very intense.”
For her, the memories that will last, and the reason she thinks Obama’s inauguration will go down in history, was “the sheer number of people that were there and supporting our new president.”